She reportedly admitted catching sight of her assailant as he doused her with nearly two litres of acid after surprising her from behind, but said she has no idea who he was.

GETTY - STOCK IMAGE

ASSAILANT: The mystery male attacker reportedly said 'sorry' in Portuguese

The admission has fuelled investigators’ suspicions that a spurned lover may have hired a third person to carry out the sick crime for him.

Detectives have made no official comment yet on Saturday’s night incident near an Intermarche supermarket in the western Algarve resort of Alvor close to the luxury hotel where TUI worker Eleanor, from the Isle of Wight, was based.

The mystery male attacker is said to have uttered the word ‘sorry’ in Portuguese before throwing the unidentified corrosive liquid over her.

GOOGLE MAPS

GETTY/SOLARPIX

HORROR: The acid attack victim told detectives she did not recognise the man

So much acid was thrown – leaving burn marks on the road and pavement and scorching nearby undergrowth – that three police officers who were first on the scene needed hospital treatment for breathing difficulties.

The liquid is said to have “melted” the victim’s clothes “like wax”.

Eleanor managed to cover her face as the acid was thrown at her and it missed her face apart from a small spot on her cheek but hit her full-on in the arms, stomach and legs.

Dare you travel to the most DANGEROUS holiday destinations in the world?

Foreign climes offer sunshine, sandy beaches and clear blue seas, but criminals in these paradises often prey on the unsuspecting tourist. For many, these beautiful places can become a deadly honey trap. Dare you travel to the most dangerous holiday destinations on earth?